Background

Duncan spent 3 years studying Linguistics at Oxford University and 1 year at Moscow University. Languages are his passion. This led him to enter the TEFL (Teach English as a Foreign Language) Industry. He has worked in various English schools and colleges throughout the U.K. and overseas, including Russia and Europe. He has taught many students from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds from all over the world. He has worked at the Mayfair School of English for 10 years, mostly as a teacher but in recent years he became the Director of Studies.

Responsibilities

The Director of Studies’ responsibilities are to oversee all courses to ensure the academic content is delivered to the highest possible standard. The average class size in the school is 16, in exam it is even less. A placement test and a short interview are used to assess the students’ English ability in order to make sure all students are placed in the most suitable class according to their level. This is the best way to ensure that students are able to realise their learning potential. The Director of Studies also has to review all materials that students use in class.

Mayfair School of English is accredited by The British Council for the teaching of English as a foreign language and is a member of English UK, the organization of accredited teaching establishments and A-rated by the United Kingdom Border Authority (UKBA).

The popular courses offered are:

General English Courses

General English will provide you with a balanced input and the skills that you need to improve your English for everyday use. To maximise the students’ learning the programmes focus on communication with pronunciation, speaking, listening and vocabulary featuring every day. Of course, grammar, reading and writing are also covered in these courses and the flexible syllabus means that the tutors can plan each week according to the students’ needs. There are classes for all levels of ability from Beginner to Proficiency.

The general language courses are designed to suit everyone with courses starting every week of the year. The students can study any length of time from 1 to 48 weeks and choose the best timetable for them. They can study from 09.00 to 12.00, 12.00 to 15.00 or 15.00 to 18.00. Courses start every Monday. There are also many intensive courses.

With an average of 16 students per class, the students will receive lots of individual attention but also have many opportunities to practise new language with their classmates.

IELTS Courses

Many students have heard about the IELTS exams, but they may not know that there are 2 IELTS exams. At present, Mayfair School of English is one of the only schools which offer these 2 courses. They are now the most popular courses in the school.

IELTS for LIFE - a General English course that prepares students to take the IELTS General Training Exam.

IELTS for STUDY - a special course in Academic English that prepares students to take the IELTS Academic Training Exam, an essential requirement for all students who are interested in applying to study at a university or college in the UK in the future.

Certificate/ (Advanced) Diploma in Business Management or in Travel, Tourism and Hospitality Management

The courses are accredited by both the Association of Business Executives (ABE) and the Confederation of Tourism and Hospitality (CTH) and provide a very cost-effective route to a UK degree.

They are also recognised by industry and over 50 universities in the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and elsewhere. The students who enroll on the Certificate/Diploma/Advanced Diploma will be eligible to apply for a 2.5-3 year visa.

For i-ASiA Readers

Mayfair School of English is very pleased to give i-AsiA readers a special offer. Any readers who enroll before the end of August 2009 in any of their courses will get a free iPod.

iPods can have a lot of advantages for students - as well as listening to music, students can download and listen to educational materials to help their studies. Please visit our website at www.mayfaireducationgroup.co.uk for more information.